Chapter 2

"It does not matter how well you scored. You cannot stand by and watch your sister fall apart."

Dad’s tone allowed no argument.

I looked down at the contract. Both Bria’s name and mine had already been filled in.

"What is this supposed to mean?"

I asked, although I already knew.

Lorelai stood and grabbed my wrist. Her tears fell on cue.

"Audrey, I am begging you. Bria did not do well this time. She already wrote a goodbye letter.

"I rented a place near the school. You two can live together, and you help her study for a year. Then you all go to Edgemont together next year. Please?"

Every word sounded like a plea. Yet the apartment had already been rented. The contract had already been printed. The pen had already been uncapped.

This was not a discussion. It was a done deal.

Bria was not my real sister. She was the child Lorelai had brought when she married into the Linden family.

Bria had not carried the Linden name originally. Lorelai had changed it to win points with my father.

When I was twelve, Dad had walked through the front door with the two of them. He pulled Bria out from behind her mother and set her in front of me.

"Audrey, Bria grew up without a dad. She had it rough. You are the big sister now, so go easy on her."

From that day on, my standing in the house was chipped away piece by piece.

Dad poured every drop of love and patience into his stepdaughter, and his own child became invisible.

At the end of freshman year, I ranked first in our grade. Bria ranked 23rd.

When we got home, Lorelai brought out a cake. The frosting read "Go Bria!"

Lorelai wrapped her arm around Bria and said, "Do not be discouraged, sweetheart. You will beat your sister next time for sure."

Dad added, "Bria is still building her foundation. She has plenty of room to grow. Audrey’s grades are steady, so there is nothing to worry about."

Nobody asked if I felt happy about finishing first. Nobody offered me a slice of that cake.

Eventually I stopped expecting it.

Every resource, every ounce of attention, and every bit of sympathy went to Bria first. I was smart, independent, and strong, so I did not need any of it. Bria was fragile, sensitive, and needed protecting, so she deserved all of it.

"What if I do not sign?"

I pulled my hand free and stepped back.

Bria wrenched herself out of Logan’s arms, snatched the fruit knife off the table, and dragged the blade across her wrist.

A thin line of blood beaded along the cut. The wound was shallow, yet the sight of it was enough.

"Bria!" Logan grabbed the knife and pulled her tight against him.

"If my sister will not stay with me, I really cannot keep going."

Bria buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed.

"I might as well die."

Dad slammed his palm on the table and pointed at me. "Look at what you have done to your sister!"

Logan pressed a hand over the cut and looked at me. His brow furrowed.

"Audrey, stop this. You are smart. You will have other chances. You can get into Edgemont next year just the same. Right now, Bria only has me and you. Can you stop being selfish for once?"

He said the cruelest thing imaginable in the gentlest voice he had.

My entire academic career, over a decade of grinding through every exam and every late night, meant nothing to him. It was a bargaining chip he could trade away for Bria whenever he wished.

On the day of the 100‑day pledge rally in senior year, he had wrapped his arm around my shoulders in front of the entire class and announced, "Audrey Linden is the one I am taking to Edgemont. Nobody else. Only her."

His arm rested around someone else now, and "only her" meant someone else too.

"Fine. Let me think about it."

I lowered my gaze to hide anything cold that might have shown in my eyes.

"What is there to think about?" Dad remained unsatisfied.

"I should at least read the contract."

I pulled out a chair, sat down, and opened the enrollment agreement. My phone sat on the table, the camera angled at all of them.

I pretended to check a message and pressed record. I took a photo of the contract’s front page.

The moment Lorelai saw me soften, her expression shifted into a smile.

"Yes, absolutely, take your time. Tuition, rent, living expenses, I will cover all of it."

Logan relaxed too. He pulled out a tissue and wiped the blood from Bria’s wrist.

"See? Your sister said yes. Stop crying."

Bria glanced at me with a look that carried pure provocation. The corner of her mouth curled into a faint smirk.

In that split second, no tears sat in her eyes. Only the satisfaction of someone who had already won.

I ignored her and flipped through the contract. The pages snapped loudly between my fingers.

My phone buzzed. It was a private message from our homeroom teacher.

"Audrey, your application looks excellent. Edgemont already reached out to me about you. Make sure you keep your confirmation receipt somewhere safe, and do not share your login credentials with anyone."

I replied with a thank you and put my phone away.

"I read the contract. I am going to my room to think it over."

I stood without looking at any of them.

Logan called after me. "Come with me to the school tomorrow to submit the withdrawal form."

"We will talk about it tomorrow."

I went to my room and locked the door behind me.

The moment I sat down, the screen lit up.

The text came from the state education board. "Dear student, an irregular review request has been submitted for your application account. Please confirm whether this action was authorized by you."